JANE EYRE

Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre may seem a fairly innocuous choice for a graphic-novel adaption, but Corzine proves otherwise. Eschewing much of the mystery of Thornfield Hall and trauma of Jane's early life, she opts to focus on the brooding romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester. An admirable intention, but one made, perhaps, without the audience in mind; the stodgy Victorian courtship isn't likely to rivet young teens. Worse yet, this version wastes the thrill and suspense of the "madwoman in the attic" subplot, thereby neutering one of the book's most memorable story lines and losing the opportunity to depict high-octane action scenes shrouded in eerie mystery. The illustrations are, save for a few wan action sequences, unremarkable though proficient enough. The text is mostly dialogue, with scarcely any action, resulting in endless panels of characters looking longingly, sadly or angrily at one another. The glossary is patently ridiculous, with age-inappropriate entries like "forgive" and "nightmare," and a biography of the author, while informative, is written in such stiff language as to turn young readers off altogether. Distinctly subpar. (Graphic classic. 13 & up)